Kaplan to make directorial debut with CLO

Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera executive producer Van Kaplan will make his Pittsburgh directorial debut this summer with the a production of "Guys and Dolls" that will star Robert Cuccioli as Sky Masterson.

Kaplan is one of six directors who will stage the previously announced 2002 summer season.

Kaplan has headed the Civic Light Opera for six seasons as successor to Charlie Gray, who retired in 1997. He's been an experienced director for years, staging productions such as the Kopit and Yeston "Phantom of the Opera" at North Shore Music Theater, "Nunsense" with Jo Anne Worley, "South Pacific" with Cathy Rigby and "Sweeney Todd" with Candy Buckley.

He had hoped to direct last summer's production of "South Pacific," but producing "Casper The Musical" took up more time than he expected. "When you become a producer, you start worrying about other things," Kaplan says.

"Guys and Dolls" is one of Kaplan's favorite musicals. "I picked it because I wanted to do it," he says. He cast Cuccioli in the role of Masterson after seeing his performance last summer in Civic Light Opera's "Bells Are Ringing." "When you're a producer, you can pick a show for someone," Kaplan says."This is a role Bob needs to do."

While performing in "Guys and Dolls," Cuccioli will simultaneously be directing Civic Light Opera's "Jekyll & Hyde," a show that's familiar to him from his long tour and Broadway run in the dual roles of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He marked his directorial debut last summer when he directed "Jekyll & Hyde" at the Westchester Broadway Theater in Elmsford, N.Y.

"He had recrafted the show and had done a really fine job with it," Kaplan says.

New to Civic Light Opera audiences will be Phil McKinley, who will direct "The Wizard of Oz," which will close the season. McKinley's credits extend from directing the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Circus' "The Greatest Show on Earth" to off-Broadway productions of "Zombie Prom" and "Thwak," which also toured nationally. He's something of an Oz expert, having directed a production of "The Wizard of Oz" featuring Phyllis Diller. In April, his directing talents will be showcased in the New York City debut of "The Boy From Oz."

Returning directors include Charley Repole, who will direct the season opener, "Singin'in the Rain" in celebration of the MGM film's 50th anniversary.

"If you're doing 'Singin' in the Rain,' you want Charley to do it," Kaplan says. "He did it at CLO a number of years ago (1995). With his schedule, he can only do one project each summer. … This is going to be a treat. It's a lot of fun, a feel-good musical."

Glenn Casale, who last summer directed Charles Durning in the Civic Light Opera's "Brigadoon," returns this year to stage "Fiddler on the Roof." "I can't think of a better show for Glenn," Kaplan says.

The splashy, patriotic Fourth of July celebration musical "George M!" will be directed by Richard Sabellico, director of last summer's "Bells Are Ringing." It's a show Sabellico has wanted to do for some time. It's filled with rousing George M. Cohan songs such as "You're a Grand Old Flag!," "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy," and "Give My Regards to Broadway."

"Sabellico is the revival king," Kaplan says.

So far, Cuccioli is the only performer Kaplan can confirm for the season. But he hints that he may bring in a star to play the witch in "The Wizard of Oz," which will be a shared production with Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Kan.

Although he thinks they add some spice to a season, performers — even big-name stars — don't sell tickets, Kaplan says. "I don't think these shows need them, because these are not star-driven shows. … Show titles and dates are what motivate people to buy subscriptions."